


Soulmates and Servants

by EnjeruTantei



Category: Original Work
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Crossdressing, Disguise, Fiction, Give this boy some love, I have no idea what I’m doing or why I actually went through with this crazy idea., M/M, Medival Spain, Needs help with plot, Shyness, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Stuttering, timid
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-12-08
Packaged: 2019-06-11 06:43:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15309684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EnjeruTantei/pseuds/EnjeruTantei
Summary: Aiden is alone in a completely different country from his birth. He can’t speak the native tongue very well, but he’s not complaining. It’s still better than the place he was before.Somehow he must have angered the gods above, because he seems to have caught the attention of the youghest Prince, Prince Rey, no matter how much he tries to avoid him. Oh yeah, and he disguises himself as a girl named Liliana.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I have no clue what I’m actually doing here. For all intents and purposes, this is my first ‘fanfic’ (if you can call it that considering it’s an original work? Ugh, details). I had quite a bit planned for this story, actually. I was excited; writing everyday. But then life happened. The reality is that I just don’t have to time for this anymore. Since I had this much written, I figured I would post it, even if it really needs some work. 
> 
> This story is completely up for adoption if anyone is interested. You can also feel free to borrow any ideas that I may have used here; I couldn’t give a crap. If you do, drop me a comment or a message; I’ll probably want to read whatever you write.
> 
> Enjoy.

Soulmates - everyone has one, however, many do not meet theirs. The bonds of soulmates know no bounds and will commonly connect across borders, but not often is the opportunity to visit neighboring countries. The moment that someone meets their soulmate, they begin to feel a rush of emotions, desires, and wishes. But feelings are not tangible, and can sometimes be diluted. Worry not, however, for there is a way to know for sure. Soulmates are given what is called a soul-mark at birth. Soul-marks are described as being beautiful colorful illustrations on the skin and match with one another. 

This story begins in the kingdom of Salfara. Ruled by King Alfredo and his spouse, Queen Valeria, Salfara prospered. They had three children: Princess Adalia, their first child, Prince Leonardo, the elder son and highest born, and Prince Ray, the youngest.

With Prince Leonardo being the eldest son, he is currently in line to inherit the throne. It is no surprise that he was expected to marry not for love, but for heirs, as was common of many highborn. He and his wife are currently expecting their second child, and there were sure to be more in the future, as what was expected of them as the heirs.

With so many children, and some still on the way, along with some ill-timed leavers, it is no surprise that the decision was made to bring on more servants so as to not collapse from the load. Among them was a girl named Liliana. Only, she wasn’t a girl. She was actually a boy. A sixteen year old boy seeing refuge with some skeletons in his closet. 

At this very moment, he closed his diary. Stretching his stiff legs, he hitched up his skirt, just a little bit, before falling to his knees silently. While taking care to be quiet, Aiden, or Liliana, as he often went by nowadays, pried up one of the floor boards. He slipped his diary and fountain pen under the board into a small cubby-space that he had discovered not long after arriving at the keep. 

After making sure that the board was replaced exactly as it had been before, he rose to his feet, taking care to silently return to his bed so as to not wake his neighboring coworkers that were still sleeping from the night-shift. The maids all shared one living quarters, so it was important to not wake those that were resting.

Life was not bad but working as a maid did not turn out to be easy, but it certainly was easier than the place he had been before. The hours were long, and the work was harsh, but here, he was guaranteed a meal once a day, and a bath to wash in. 

With his journal entry for the night finished, he was about to go to sleep when his mental musings were interrupted by a calm but commanding voice. “Liliana?” His head perked up at the voice. “I need you to send a clean set of towels to Prince Rey’s quarters.” Lady Felicita Camen, the head of the maids, came into view as she stepped around the corner by the door.

The first think that Aiden noticed was her characteristic plain black dress. It featured a long grayish-black skirt with simple lace tracing it’s edges. The upper half of her dress had a common corset held together by a similar grayish-black ribbon. Her long brown hair was pinned up in peRfect bun; not a strand of hair was out of place. She held herself with poise and purpose. 

He nodded slowly, muttering a quiet, “Yes, ma’am,” impressed at his lack of stutter, before standing to leave the room. After briefly checking his appearance to insure that it is nothing short of acceptable. His long dark-brown hair, which normally comes to the small of his back, was pulled back into a somewhat loose braid. Moving on to his dress, he began to inspect for any imperfections. He currently wore a pale baby-blue dress that came down to his ankles. It was overall plain in appearance and had little in the way of designs or patterns, having only lace on the very edges of the skirt and at the ends of the long sleeves. That’s the real reason that he wore this dress; it hid his sleeves. Most importantly, it hid his cursed mark. 

In his home country of Japan, having a cursed mark was considered taboo and was a one-way ticket to slavery. He was no different. The only difference with him, is that he was blessed enough that his family waited until he was about to be a teenager before sending him off; he wouldn’t think of the many nights that he was beaten by his father for that infraction or how he was only spared for so long because his hometown was not visited by slave traders often. 

It was important that no one see it so that no one can send him back. He just escaped that fate; he will not fall back into its’ clutches. He shifted on his feet, testing his weight on the short heels that he was required to wear, reminding him of his position. He was Liliana - A maid, a woman. Less people asked uncomfortable questions from women and less was expected of them. They are often not confronted and that allowed to slip in and out of places with minimal contact, making it perfect for him as it did not require him to interact with others much.

He didn’t like talking with people; he didn’t even like having to be too close to other people. Having been left with a stutter from his childhood (most likely as a price for the blessing that he had), he did not enjoy the company of others, and this way, he didn’t have to. He did not have to interact with us and he could continue on life as Liliana, the maid; It was perfect. 

Having deemed his appearance acceptable, he left the dark sleeping quarters to enter the bright linen room. They were very close to each because it was more effective and efficient. Maids were coming to and fro with all kinds of clothing and linen. The servants have been busy preparing for the upcoming ball cast in celebration for Prince Leonardo’s next born son. He was to be born any day now and as such, everything needed to be prepared ahead of time. 

His eyes scanned the room, looking for the clean linen shelf. The room was normally very clean, almost spotless in-fact, as it should be; however, some things were now out of place. Between the new maids not knowing where things were supposed to go, and the buzz and busy work from Prince Leonardo’s son’s ball, not many had the time to put things back where they belonged.

Due to the upcoming event, there were more maids inside the linen room than normal. That made his nerves come to life. He began to sweat at the thought of having to enter the busy room. But he had no choice. He needed to get new linens to Prince Rey’s quarters, otherwise Felicita won’t be happy. 

Having spotted the shelf with the clean linen and hardening his resolve, he swiftly made his way over to it and grabbed a neatly folded stack, made his way from the abnormally busy room just as quickly, and into the hallway where there was more space the breath. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he started towards the servant staircase, making sure to keep his head down and eyes watching the floor for anyone getting too close. The floor was a pretty, dark hardwood, with some darker and light tones throughout.

Upon reaching the stairs, he lifted his gaze to watch the steps. He shifted his grip on the towels, and grabbed ahold of his delicate skirt. He treated it with care; it was a gift from another maid: Anna. Anna used to work with him in the servants courters, but more recently, she was sent to work as Princess Adalia’s personal handmaid, so he had not seen her in quite some time. Most importantly, she knew of his little secret of being a boy. 

She discovered through a chance accident, from seeing him in the baths late at night. He hadn’t been careful enough to hide everything and when he was surprised to hear the bath door open so late at night, he hadn’t been quick enough to not be seen. Luckily, she didn’t ask many questions, and allowed him to continue his façade as a woman. She had even gifted him some pretty dresses and took him shopping in town to expand his wardrobe. That was very kind of her. They readily became friends after that.

Take care to not step on the dress, he began to make his way up the stairs, counting them as he goes. Many times before has he gotten lost on this staircase and had to embarrassingly ask for directions back to the servants quarters. He soon realized it was easiest to count the steps so as to keep track of where you were. 

After reaching the third floor landing, he once again readjusted his grip on the linens, taking care to make sure that they were properly folded and that any wrinkles were smoothed out after being rumpled from ascending the staircase. He strengthened his grip on the pile before beginning to make his way down the hallway. Busy maids and servants on private missions for their respective commanders past by him. The hallway felt small to him with all of the extra bodies moving through it despite how wide it actually was. To most people it would seem more than adequate, but for him, it was enough to make him feel nervous. He glanced up briefly to ascertain his location before returning his gaze to the floor; it was a beautiful whitish-gray marble this time. 

He turned to the right (into the royal wing, he noted) at the next intersection, making sure not to collide with anyone and maintain his distance. While Aiden did not enjoy contact with others, some of it must be accepted regardless, as it cannot be avoided. He felt his nerves come alive again as he remembered that he may have to face someone, or even interact with them on some level. He could only hope that it would be quick and painless. 

The intricate doors leading into Prince Rey’s courters came into view. Every step closer seemed to flare up his nerves even more. What if his voice sounded to manly? Would he stutter? Would he even get a syllable out? He had heard a rumor once that failure to respond to a direct question could result in termination or even death. Was he about to die because he couldn’t speak properly? Spanish wasn’t even his first language so he wouldn’t know if he accidentally insulted him! He felt his breathing begin to pick up, nerves driving him into a state of panic. 

Maybe he didn’t have to deliver the linens himself, or even now. Is the someone else that he could ask to do the task for him? Would anyone even bother? And then, he remembered that the infraction of not delivering on your task could be just as harsh. It would certainly be an immediate termination and he cannot afford that. 

He took a deep breath, hoping to calm the panic that was rising in his chest. It was possible that the Prince would not even be there. Maybe he was worrying about nothing. Or maybe he was just trying to comfort himself a little before his inevitable fate. He braced himself mentally as best as he could before knocking on the white hardwood door. 

After waiting a few moments, he entered the room quietly. In hindsight, he probably should have waited longer. He glanced around the fancily designed room, searching for the bath area. The first thing he noticed was the biggest bed he had ever seen; it also appeared to be quite comfortable as well. It had more intricate curls and designs on it, similar to the ones on the door to these quarters. Then, he saw the equally as comfortable couch and armchair sets, most likely for when the Prince had guests. There was also an open double-door that revealed an enormous closet for fancy clothes and accessories.

Lastly, he spotted a door that was ajar to, what appeared to be, the bathing area. With his finish line in sight, he swiftly walked towards the ajar door. He gently pushed it open, and approached the complexly carved wooden shelf, ignoring the beautiful bath and chamberpot area. The floors had amazing marble that was white with swirls of gold, real gold, most likely. After laying the new linens on the shelf, he took the older ones in his arms, before hightailing out of the fancy bathing area. His job was complete; he could leave without worry. If he was quick enough, he could leave before the Prince returned. He closed the door just as gently as he had pushed it open. 

He didn’t notice him at first. Maybe it was his determination to leave the chambers, or maybe he was just too panicked to notice. When it did register to him, he stopped in his tracks. Standing before him, in all of his glory, was the prince. Prince Rey.

The first think that he saw was his short black hair. It was groomed to perfection, with not a strand being out of place. His face looked like it could have been carved from chiseled stone, and his clothes were of fine fabric. The bright regal clothes that he wore stood out from the many dresses and clothes that he had ever seen before. As he remembered where he was, dread settled in his stomach like heavy lead, and he felt his panic flare up again. 

He swallowed dryly before averting his eyes back to the ground, “Y-Y-Yo-our-r-r H-High-hnes-ss...” he stuttered in a small, quiet voice. It was shaking with apparent nerves. His grip of the linens tightened, and he felt himself begin the shiver under the cool, blue gaze. After a moment of prolonged silence, he licked his lips as a way of releasing some of the building stress. 

“S-S-Sir?” He asked, his voice still quite timid. It seemed to do the trick as it seemed to snap the other out of whatever had held him there. 

“Yes, thank you, “ he replied, clearing his throat before going on, “You may go.” He didn’t need to hear anything else. Not moments later, he had left the room and down the hall faster than he could ever remember. He didn’t pay any mind to the other servants that he passed or almost collided with. 

His heart felt like it was pounding out of his chest, and he could feel his blood rushing in his ears. Before he had known it, he had made it back to the servants quarters. He stopped just outside of the door to catch his breath. 

After regaining some composure, he took a deep breath before entering through the closed door. He practically leapt into bed, not caring too much about the noise that he made or the dress that he still wore. Other than one person shifting on their mattress, no one appeared to wake up. It took him a while to fall asleep.

—-

The next morning started bright and early. The sun could be just barely seen on the horizon outside the window in the servants’ quarters, signally the start of the day, but for those that slept through the first light, Lady Felicita’s announcement of the start of the work day roused the day staff, while the few night-shift workers made their way to their designated beds. 

He shuffled out of bed quietly, his feet making barely audible contact with the floor. He looked down at his dress, the one that he accidentally slept in. Now it was wrinkled and creased; it certainly wouldn’t do for the day ahead of him without some much needed assistance. He stood on his feet and pulled out a trunk from underneath his bed. 

After rummaging through it, he pulled up a pretty pastel pink dress, with a few ribbons on it, out and into his hands. With arms full of dress, he made his way to the shared bath and entered the small adjacent linen closet to change. Almost no one ever goes in there, so if he was quick, he could change without anyone discovering his secret.

In a few moments, he had the dress on and began tightening the appropriate ribbons and drawstrings so that it would hold right on his body. After that, he left the closet, closing the door quietly behind himself just before someone entered the bath area. He walked over to the mirror and began fixing his hair so that it appeared more feminine and ladylike. With just a small touch of perfume, (Not much, because it was very expensive.) he was ready to begin the workday.

He left the bath area and servants’ quarters before making his way to the first floor kitchen. That was where the maids and other staff ate prior to being put to work. As he was shoveling a small pile of potatoes from the warm pot on the stove, he could help but think about the encounter of the night before. Oh, how close he had been. The Prince was very pretty, and it was hard to not admire his beauty. But he could never see himself with him; he was a maid and a boy! Both things that would make being with him impossible. 

But then he remembered how rudely he had acted last night. In the face of his nerves, he had all but ran from the room. Not to mention his inability to talk clearly and respectfully. It was very important to be clear and respectful; two things that he just so happened to be very challenged with. 

He couldn’t help but worry if there would be repercussions for his disrespectful actions. Worry began to build within himself at the thought. ‘No, don’t worry,’ he assured himself, ‘You would already have been removed if there would have been.’

Just as he began eating his breakfast in earnest, Lady Felicita entered the kitchen. “You are all accounted for, I see. Except for Jilliana,” she stated, muttering the last part in quiet, unconcealed contempt under her breath. “With the upcoming… in celebration of Prince Leonardo’s newborn son, Alejandro. We will be more short-handed than ever. Therefore, Linda, Raquel, Esperanza, Jaime, and Dulce will be working in the reception hall. You are to bring clean linens from the… room, and to wash the silver so that it is perfect. If you encounter a dirty linen, taking it for cleaning.” After a breath, she turned to  
the male side of the room, “Miguel, Orlando, Mateo, Luis, and Santiago, you are to clean the upper chandeliers, make sure that all of the plates are accounted for and that they are clean for the ball.” 

It was hard for Aiden to follow everything though, because Spanish was not his first language. While he can hold conversations and understand orders, the complex and complicated words that many people liked to use prove difficult from time to time.

She then turned to the remaining group of people not given tasks, “For the rest of you without orders, you are to clean the linens brought to the linen room and to remain on standby until I decide to give you all new orders. I will not have anyone slacking in their duties; if I catch you not doing your assigned tasks, it will mean instant termination.” 

She stopped and turned her head to give a strong long, almost a glare, to everyone in the room, “Mistakes,” she started, “Will not be tolerated. This is a matter of the highest order.” With that, she left the room. 

Everyone stood up and began going about their different ways. Aiden was on standby duty, so he waited until almost everyone had left the kitchen before leaving towards the linen room. The wall was fairly easy as he didn’t have to go up or down any stairs, and the linen room was just down the hallway. The hall was mostly empty, safe for a few stragglers, due to most people having already gotten to where they need to be or were still traveling to it. Upon reaching the linen room, he pushed the slightly ajar door open and entered. He made his way over to the corner with the least people and began ironing the freshly cleaned sheets and clothes. His nerves feel like they were on fire, and he could barely contain a yelp when someone bumped into him. It was nerve-wracking, and he would have been happier anywhere else. But this was Lady Felicita’s orders; there was no disputing them. 

Time seemed to pass slowly in the linen room. The only sounds were those of people working. Any normal person would describe it as a calming experience, but for him, it was anything but calming. Every noise, every sound, just seemed to put him further on edge. 

After what felt like an eternity, the door opened. He felt himself jump at the sudden loud sound as he tried not to think about the memories that it brought to the surface. Who was it? Did the Prince decide to fire him after all? A shiver wracked through him at the thought. He glanced up at the door to see who opened it. In the doorway stood Lady Felicita.

“Liliana,” she prompted again, “Please step out of the room. I would also like to…. something with you.” Aiden couldn’t contain a shiver of dread. He is about to be fired. His legs were shaking the entire time he was crossing the distance between him and Lady Felicita as he tried to ignore the curious glances that he knew that he was getting. Once in the doorway, he quietly closed the door so as to avoid any prying ears. 

“Liliana? I need you to send… set of clean linens to Prince Rey’s room,” she said. Aiden felt like his heart had stopped. He had to go back to that room. Maybe he could change her mind. 

“M-m-mmm… M-m-ma-a’am-m. A-are yo-ou s-s-sure?” He forced out, trying not to cringe at his annoyingly present stutter. 

“I-I-I d-don-n’t th-hink that I-I’m the b-best p-p-pers-son f-for the t-task.” He added, his voice almost too quiet to be heard.

“Yes, you are right,” She began, “But there is no debating it, Liliana.” She straightened her back, “You were specifically requested.” 

Dread began to fill in his stomach for a completely different reason. Is there no way around this? Whose order was it? But… a direct order cannot be ignored. 

“Y—y-yes m-ma’am-m…” he replied solemnly. His heart was pounding in his throat. He turned back towards the linen room before entering once more. The moment that he entered the room, he felt the weight of all the curious eyes. He swallowed dryly before making his way, once again, to the clean linen rack. Once there, he grabbed the only clean stack of clothes and sheets. With them in hand, he rapidly exited the room, feeling tears prickling at the edges of his eyes.

He had never liked a lot of attention. It usually meant that pain was able to come his way, whether it was from his father or the slave traders, so it is understandable that it made him feel uneasy. At times, it felt like everyone was able to see what he really was, like they were judging him. The truth is, though, that no one would ever be able to completely understand him anyway. And that made him uncomfortable. People that were willing to judge what they don’t understand are dangerous and usually mean pain.

He covered the distance between the room and the staircase in seconds. To others, he probably appeared to be running with the speed that he walked at, which may not have been too far from the truth. The frustration and irritation at himself for letting their curiosity and judging gazes get to him was most likely a driving force in it. He didn’t want to enter the Prince’s quarters, but in the same token, he was also afraid of what he might see in the people that he passed if he was to walk slower. A consequence of this rapid pace was that he forgot to count the steps on the way up to the second floor. 

When he took a moment to stop and look at his surroundings, he realized that he was lost. Where was he? He didn’t recognize the floors or walls around him, and in his moment of emotional outburst, he had rushed away from the staircase and into an unknown portion of the keep. This wing appeared to be less used, as indicated by the lack of maids or servants coming to and fro, the large cobwebs in the corners between the ceiling and walls, and the presence of dust and dirt. Oh no. 

He slowly began to walk further down the hallway, noting how the floorboards seemed to creak underneath his feet. It sounded loud in the empty hallway. It was also quite dark, as the only light provided was from old windows that were so dusty, that it was impossible to see clearly through them, whereas the other, much more newer, portion of keep had candles in every hallway so that it was bright and easy to see. 

Passing by a few doors, he opened them to find dark, empty rooms that appeared to have not been lived in for years. More of the same dust and cobwebs had settled on the fancy regal furniture, acting like a blanket draped over things as prove of the lack of live. He even went inside some of them, but they didn’t reveal much. 

With the now dirty linens still in hand, he continued down the hallway that seemed to get darker and smaller as he went. A few of the rooms seemed to have had children in them before; there were toys in a toy box along a wall in each room. He even found what appeared to be the old servants quarters. 

No matter where he went, it seemed like he only went deeper and deeper into the old wing. Was he never going to find is way back? He could see that he had spent a few hours there from looking at the setting sun through the window. The light seemed to be getting dimmer with each minute, and that turned out to be quite right. A new found panic was settle ablaze in him. What about when the sun is completely down? That would leave him in complete darkness. Not even the lights of the night candles would be lit. He needed to find a way to light some of the hallway candles. 

With a newfound panic, he began searching for something that could light the candles. He entered room after room, searching each drawer of each cabinet in search of a match. 

He felt his tears come back to him again. There was no way that he would find his way back on his own, and certainly not in time to deliver the linens before he was declared a rogue maid. That might even be the worst of his problems. If he didn’t find his way back, he may very well die.

Having given up hope of finding a match, he sat down on the floor against the wall and pulled his knees to his chest. He paid no mind to the dirty and dusty that he was getting on Anna’s dress, because he felt like it was likely that he would never see the outside except from a dirty window ever again. But that doesn’t matter much, does it? How much has his life been worth so far? The only things that he has experienced in life have been pain, hurt, sorrow, and humiliation. He was never enough. He was cursed from the start. Aiden looked down at the mark on his right wrist. It had cost him so much. A childhood. A family. A partner. No one would live with a cursed woman, much less a man.

He pulled at the sleeve of his dress, lifting it up enough to look at the cursed mark on his skin that had cost him so much. His family had hated him. He was a plague on their family. Blessed by a Yokai, they had said. He could not blame them though, for no one wanted a cursed child. In his opinion though, the only blessing that he ever received was that the slave trader did not visit his remote villager for years. At the time, he had felt like that was a curse too. But he quickly realized how wrong he was after finally being inducted in the trade. That’s what the parents did. They would sell the cursed child, and the curse along with it. His tears were in full force now, the salty tracks running down his face being the solely needed proof of his current emotional state. The sun is almost down, and darkness had fallen.

Just as it seemed as if he would actually die there alone, actually fulfilling one of his self-prophecies, he saw a light. It was a small light. Small enough in fact that Aiden thought that he was hallucinating. His crying stopped, the sniffles stilled, and he listened. Sure enough, he heard the sound of footsteps coming down the creaky hall. Someone was in the corridor with him! He was about to call out to them when he had a cold thought. What if they’re dangerous? What are they doing here? He couldn’t suppress a shiver at the resurfacing memories of stories of young maidens going missing, only to never be found again.

He had limited options as to where to hide. He quickly looked back and forth for a place to hide. Each step that the mysterious person caused his panic to ten-fold. What if he couldn’t hide when enough? He finally decided on the closest room, and stood very slowly. After determining that he hadn’t made any noise, he opened the door as quietly as he could and slipped in. He left the door open just a crack so that he could see the person on the other side, hoping that they don’t notice the door being ajar. 

He held his breath with each step getting closer. Eventually the figure came into view, but he couldn’t see very much other than a dark purple dress in the dark hallway; one handheld candle did not provide much light for viewing. The figure stopped just after passing the doorway. What he didn’t expect was for the figure to turn towards the room that he was in and to push the door open. His surprise prevented him from moving, so the action sent me tumbling to the floor, in plane few of the stranger.

Dread began to fill him for the third time that day as he was in clear view. In an attempt to have my life spared, Aiden quickly shifted to his knees before performing a Japanese-style plea, with his hands in above his head on the floor and his nose almost touching the ground. Pleas began falling out of his mouth but he doubted that the mysterious stranger could understand many of the’ due to his harsh stutter; it always seemed to get worst when he actually needed to speak.

“I-I-I’m s-s-s-so s-s-sor-rr-ry, I—“ He was interrupted from continuing his blubbering attempt at speaking. His whole body was shaking under the strength of their gaze.

“No, do not be worried, raise your head and tell me your name. It is only I, Princess Adalia.” A female voice stated. He felt his shaking intersify. The Princess? He was feeling anything but surprised though. He’d been found wandering in an area he wasn’t supposed to be.

“O-oh, y-y-your… h-highn-ness,” he raised his body to a sitting position on his knees but kept his eyes on the ground, “I-I um... I-I-I’m Li-li-lilia-an-na.” He internally cringed at how prominent his stutter was, signaling just how nervous he was. 

“I-I’m a m-m-m-ma-aid. I w-work un-n-nder-r L-Lad-dy Fe-eli-icit-ta…” he said, trailing off towards the end. Why did he have to stutter so much? Why can’t he just be normal? Like everyone else? Tears collected in the corners of his eyes for the third time that day. His body won’t stop shaking, especially his hands. His hands were drawn into tight fists full of his skirt. 

“I-I d-didn’t inten-nd t-to tres-sp-pass… I g-g-got-t l-lost.” He muttered, chewing on his bottom lip in nervous tension. Then, the last thing that he ever expected to happen, occured. She laughed. He didn’t believe it at first and actually broke form, looking up, into her eyes, to confirm that the act actually happened. The rare moment didn’t last for very long though, because seconds later, he returned his gaze to the floor. 

“I see. Liliana, was it?” She giggled again, “I can see how it is easy to get lost here.” The Princess smiled, “How would you like to join me? I could use some company.” He could tell; he could always tell when someone was smiling because the tone in their voice changed. It always seemed a bit… lighter and more… free. That was the best word that he could think of to describe it. 

“I-I…” Aiden didn’t know what to say at first. Should he accept? Would that be considered socially acceptable? He wasn’t sure. He didn’t know of any rules against it, but he was not very well informed about the acceptability of things in the Spanish royal social circle. “I-I, Y-Y-Yes, I-I would b-be h-h-hap-ppy t-to a-ass-sist y-y-you, y-your h-highn-ness.” He eventually decided. 

“Thank you,” she replied, before offering him a hand to held him to his feet. Feeling that it would be rude to ignore the offer, he took her hand lightly and did his best to not put too much weight on it so that he doesn’t accidentally pull her to the ground. After his feet made contact with the wooden floor again, he brushed himself off and preceded to pick at his dress was that was a bit more presentable. 

“W-where to-o?” He asked. It kind of just slipped out. He mentally berated himself for his slip-up. 

“Anywhere, really. It’s all so memorable for me. My brothers and I used to spend our days playing hide-and-go-see with each, among other games as well. It was a time before duties and responsibilities. I may not have needed for anything except freedom. I envy maids like you somethings. “ 

Aiden could feel her eyes on him, like she was waiting for something. When an objection didn’t come, she continued, “Sure, you are working under another person and have strict rules, but at the end of the day, it matters not. You still have the freedom to do what you want to.” She stepped ahead of him, and twirled around to face him, her regal purple skirt following suit. 

“When I look at you, though, I am forced to re-evaluated that thought. You don’t look free. In fact, you look the opposite of it. Like you have something holding you down, preventing you from being yourself. What has happened to you?” She reasoned. At that, he looked up from the ground for the second time that day. No one had ever asked him that before. It almost seemed like she cared; cared more than any of his family ever did. He swallowed. 

“I-I…” He started, but still not entirely sure what to say. It was not an easy question to answer; it wasn’t as if he could just say he was abused, or sold to human traders. Eventually he did come to an answer though, “I’m-m j-just un-nl-luck-ky, is a-all.” 

His voice was quiet, timid like it always was, but it was also just a tad bit warmer. It was an unsettling feeling. It should have been calming, but it was anything but. People being kind to him was abnormal at best, so the feeling made him feel a bit uneasy, but there was no denying the warmth inside him. 

It made him want to talk to her, like she was a friend just like he always heard about from his fellow maids morning conversations. The kind of friend that you would tell secrets to and confide in. There was just something about her. It was a strange sensation for him. He felt compelled to tell her everything. Who he was. How he got here. But a small part of him stopped himself. 

“I see,” she replied after the long pause of silence, trailing off. It made him feel a little bad for being so vague. But he couldn’t tell anyone his secret or they might take him back. No one was trustworthy, not even the Princess. The risk was just too great. 

“Well,” she started, “I think that I’ve taken enough of your time. Would you like me to guide you back to the maids quarters?” The Princess smiled, her eyes showing he a kindness that I had never experienced before.

He nodded, not trusting his voice. While his nerves had since tempered down, there were still present. With them and the rush of emotions that were running through him, he was unsure of his ability to say anything at this point. Aiden followed closely behind Prince Adalia, making sure to not lose her. He had already lucked out when she found him; he was not sure that he would be so lucky the second time around.

It felt a little saddening to watch the passing pictures and rooms go by. Aiden couldn’t help but feel like they were the same as him. They were long since forgotten by everyone, just like him, lost to society. 

Eventually, the halls got brighter, and walls became newer. The floorboards that creaked beneath his feet began to not creak as much and became cleaner and more polished. Just as Aiden was beginning to recognize the walls and the floors, they had returned to the pesky staircase that always meant trouble. 

Princess Adalia glanced outside one of the many windows, and as if realizing what time it actually was, said, “I trust that you know your way from here?” It took him a moment to realize that she was awaiting an answer from him before he nodded.

He bowed politely before making his way down the stairs a couple flights, before landing at the bottom, the servant’s level. Aiden was exhausted, and he wanted nothing more than to just lay down and get so rest after his eventful journey into the land of abandoned rooms, but unfortunately, her still had a task to complete. Perhaps Lady Felicita would be more kind in her decision of whether or not to fire him if he were to complete the original task before meeting her again in the morning. He glanced down at the now dirty linens in his hands.

After having decided that those would simply not do, he quietly entered the linen room, so as to not wake those sleeping on the other side of the wall, and grabbed a clean new stack, after dropping the dirty ones on the cleaning one. Not many were working the night shift tonight, but that didn’t bother him. Less people, less stress.

With his new stack on linens in hand, he attempted to make his way to the Prince’s chambers once again. This time, he made sure to count all the steps, and as a result, actually landed on the correct floor. Due to it being so late in the evening, not many people were traveling through the halls, allowing him for the first time in hours, to truly think freely. Why was Princess Adalia in this parts? And so late at night? She had mentioned having many good memories there. Perhaps that used to be the new wing when she was a child? 

Aiden turned the corner, almost colliding with someone. It interrupted his thoughts. “I-I’m s-s-so s-s—“ He was interrupted by an irritated voice, “Watch where you’re going, stupid.” They said, before pushing him to the side and walking away. Right. He should probably prioritize watching other for other people. He tightened his grip on the towels and clothes before continuing down the corridor. 

Even if his sense of direction was bad, there was no mistaking where he was now. Between the marble floors and brightly painted walls, there was no doubt that he was in the right area. After a few more twists and turns, he was standing in front of the door to a room that had caused him so many problems so far. 

He brushed off his skirt again with one hand in attempt to make himself look more presentable but it didn’t do much. It also didn’t help his rising nerves settle either. There was almost no doubt that the Prince would be on the other side of the door at this hour; he would need to be prepared for that possibility. After taking a moment to collect himself, he gently opened the door. 

“P-P-P-Ple-ea-ase e-excu-us-se m-me,” He whispered, peeking his head around the corner. He waited. There was no reply. Maybe he had lucked out? Aiden wasn’t sure, but he was not going to wait around for him to show up. 

He pushed the door open the rest of the way and walked in. His attention was solely on the door for the bath area. In his haste, he opened slowly the door without knocking. What he didn’t expect to see was the Prince bathing himself in the bath. Or maybe he had never given the possibility much thought in the first place. 

In his shock, he dropped the towels and linens on the floor, alerting unexpected person to his presence. He was naked of course, and waist deep in the warm bubbly water, obscuring what he knew to lie beneath. His body was fit, but not like he had seen of the knights or guards of the kingdom. He was more lean than muscle, but was by no means, a pushover. Aiden’s jaw dropped open at his brazen mistake. It was textbook. He was sure to be terminated now.

With not many thoughts of self preservation left, Aiden fled from the Prince’s chambers. He flew down the hallway and staircase faster than he had ever gone before, not caring for the bystanders that he accidentally brushed by. He had messed up. A lot. There was no way that he would not be removed from service. He had just left the clean linens there, on the floor that was probably dirty. And to top it all off, he still had not completed the task that he had been assigned. Maybe his family was right. Maybe he really was cursed.

Once he hit the bottom of the landing, the followed the path that he knew so well by now back to the servants quarters. Maybe he could still get a good night’s sleep before he was asked to leave. He would pack his things in the morning. It was the most prudent that he get some sleep for now. He settled on to his cot and pulled the thin covers over himself.

Despite his best efforts, he did not, in fact, sleep. He could not stop thinking about what had happened and what he had done. He was in such deep trouble. What if they force him to leave in front of everyone? What if they don’t allow him to leave with his things? Would they force him if he resisted? He felt a little sad at the thought of leaving without saying goodbye to Princess Adalia. Even if he’d only met her once, she was the closest thing he had for a friend, other than Anna. 

His laments were interrupted by the door slamming open. At first, he thought that he might have actually fallen asleep and was currently dreaming of his demise, but that theory was quickly destroyed by a hand grabbing hold of his wrist. It pulled him tumbling out of his cot. By now, many of the servants and maids have woken to watch the ongoing commotion that was interrupting their normal sleep time. Aiden squeezed his eyes shut. This was actually happening.

The hand pulled him away from the cots and from the room; it felt like it was covered in a leather glove, not unsimilar to the ones that the knights were. He didn’t dare look up. He recognized the shoes of Lady Felicita, while the others were ones that he didn’t recognize; there were three sets that were same and one more set that was similar but not the same. Fear was moving like liquid in his veins. Would they allow him to take his things with him? All was silent for a moment, which was odd. Wouldn’t they have dragged him off by now? His sudden curiosity of the situation caused him to look up at the owner of the hand wrapped around his wrist. 

Dread was like heavy lead in his stomach, and Aiden’s blood seemed to run cold. Prince Rey. There he stood in his always regal-looking clothing. His black hair was slightly messy, although not unacceptable, and he eyes seemed to have a shine to them. The Prince also had a very visible simile across his features. Not the face of someone about to fire another. Aiden allowed himself to relax just a little. The silence seemed to stretch on and on. What was going on? 

“U-Um-m-m…” He started, instantly regretting to choose to speak in the first place. It seemed to do something though because it drawed all of the attention to him. Aiden felt his nerves buzz to life. What has he done? 

Instead of using words though, the hand around his wrist tightened a bit and pulled him uncontrollably close to the Prince. Prince Rey reached up with his other hand to push down the sleeve that held all of his secrets. No. No no no no no no! Please, not that. Aiden pulled on his wrist in an attempt to stop him but it was no use; the Prince was too strong. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. His entire world seems to be falling apart. 

Upon laying eyes on the cursed mark without a barrier the first time in years. Fear was in his system now. His blood was pumping fast, and his breathing began to speed up. They know. They’ll send him back. In his panic, he failed to notice the change in the Prince’s expression to one of happiness, hiding a wealth of excitement and love. The only thing that he noticed from that point was the darkness overtaking his eyesight as he fell into Prince Ray’s arms. 

 

Aiden was afraid of what he might see if he looked, so he opted to keep his eyes on the ground in front of him.


	2. Black Roses are Sometimes Thornless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I intended to write this back in July. (it's December now). Oops? 
> 
> To be fair, I started it back in July, and then I wrote more in September, but I had to put it on hold because a special friend had a birthday and I wrote them a b-day fic. :3
> 
> I'm a busy person, so I only have so much time to dedicate to writing this story, but I'll try my best. 
> 
> This is not beta-ed or proofread. Feel free to point out any errors that you find, and I'll fix them as I get time to. 
> 
> Merry Christmas, peeps! 🎄🎄🎄

The first thing that he could remember was the trees. They were short for trees, but definitely not small. Those trees dwarfed him in comparison. He didn’t mind though. That made them feel safe. Like a protective mother whom sheltered their kin.

He had always thought of the trees as his. And like the old friends he never had, they were always there for him. Of course, his family was not rich by any standards. In fact, looking back on what he could remember, they were quite poor, which led him to now believe that the trees had belonged to a reigning feudal lord at the time, rather than his poor family. 

While he had many memories of those trees, there was one that stuck with him the most. He had been young, however he doesn’t quite know how young. He had been sitting in the grass, shaded by the tree tops from the overbearing heat of the sun, although it was still quite warm and humid despite the cover. He was feeling his little hands through the long blades in search of insects, or anything interesting really. 

Everything was quiet, quante, despite the sound of fighting that could be heard from inside his family home. Fighting was a strong word for what was actually going on, though. The better term would have been ‘disappointment’. Which was understandable. Because he was a disappointment of a son.

Children in Japan, especially sons, were expected to be strong, assertive, when he was anything but. A son who was unable to retain and maintain the integrity of the household was considered a failure. Which meant that he was a failure.

Normal boys his age would be out on an adventure with his friends, his father had said. But no matter what he did, he couldn’t be what his father had expected of him. He hadn’t many friends as a child, many preferring to stay far away from him. Perhaps it was his inherent shyness, or maybe it was the rumors. 

It certainly did not help that he was the only child in the village to be cursed. The mark of a demon laid on the inside of his left wrist, a permanent reminder of what a failure he was destined to be. The pure-black illustration of thornless rose made his skin crawl, and at times, he felt so desperate for it to be gone that he would scratch and scratch at the skin in an attempt to scrap it away. But it would just heal back, as if nothing had ever happened. 

From the moment of his birth, he had been hailed as a demon’s child, one without a chance for redemption. Not that this notation stopped his mother and his father from attempting to exorcise the curse from him. From priests to oracles, his parents had tried everything, and now he was causing a divide between them. They were at their wits’ end.

Suddenly, he realized, that he couldn’t hear them fight anymore. 

“Daitan. _Come here._ ” his father said from the doorway of his home. His voice was stern, strained. No doubt, not willing to wait. Daitan was his birth name, but he didn’t go by that name anymore. He couldn’t remember why. Daitan scrambled to stand, his feet tearing the grass in his attempt to right himself. He adjusted his cotton kimono so that it sat properly before walking towards the house.

Once he was a couple of paces from his father, he stopped, and greeted him in a quiet scratchy voice, “ _Good afternoon, Dad._ ” He replied, his eyes cast downward in a show of non-defiance. This seemed to only displease his father more. The sound of a slap filled the air; he could feel the sting of it throughout his entire body. Shame burned across his face.

“ _How disgraceful! You shall address me as only your Father, however I fail to see how I am related to you._ He shouted, enraged. Daitan remembers how his father’s fists clenched at the act, as if his hurtful words were not enough to show his disdain. 

“ _Why can I not have a son whom is honorable? One who is not a coward?_ ” His father seethed, but Daitan dare not look up at him for fear of seeing the burning disappointment and rage in his eyes. It matters not how many times he witnesses it; every time feels just as shameful as the last.

“ _I apologize, Father._ ” Daitan said, his voice shaking a little bit in an effort to not show how shaken he was. He clasped his hands together in front of himself, sweat beginning to form on his palms. Was he to be disciplined here? Where the entire village could see? This thought had disturbed him. Even if everyone had already known about how he was treated among his family, something about this scenario seemed to make everything so much worse. Daitan could feel the beginning of tears forming in his eyes; his Father intended to publicly humiliate him. 

Panic began to take away his senses. The sound of static seemed to take over his ears, preventing the processing out outside information to his brain. His breath began to come in short breaths, despite his best efforts to hide the anxiety. He must of missed something else, or made some other mistake, as his Father had slapped him again, harder this time. He could still feel the power of that motion years afterwards and in the scape of a dream. Every anger-filled word seemed to make Daitan’s father taller, or perhaps, he’s the one who was getting shorter; he could feel his own shoulders hunching in by the second. 

“ _Pay attention, you useless excuse for a son! I expect you to pack your things quickly, or I shall burn them myself._ ” He seethed. Ice seemed to replace his blood as shock took over his body at the implication of what his Father seemed to be suggesting. He told himself to move, but he could not find the strength to do so; his legs had felt as if they had been liquidated.

“ _Yes, Father._ He responded, his voice trembled, as he fought tears from falling. He had finally did it; he had finally push his family so far that they were going to give up. Daitan remembered scrambling to to get out of his - not truly his any longer - Father’s path.

His Father stepped out of the doorway and motioned with his hands towards the door. It was at this moment that Daitan, in a brief fit of courage, decided to look up but instantly regretted it. The look of sheer disappointment and disgust written across his Father’s face spoke more words than he ever could. He had been to be ashamed of himself.

The next moments of this memory seemed to go faster and faster; faster than he could comprehend. He remembered the grief, the sorrow, and the shame so well, but what actually happened after that was all a blur. His tears continued to fall as he shook himself with grief. Then he could feel the hand. Daitan could not escape them; they held onto him so tight that he was sure that there’d be bruises, if it all were not a dream. This knowledge did nothing to comfort himself.

He was stuck; he could do nothing. The slave traders had taken him not moments after he’d packed his small satchel of things. Not that it had mattered. The second that he had been dragged away, for only a few _yen_ he was sure, they had taken everything that he had left and sold it for a couple of coin. He fought against the chains tying him down in an attempt to free himself, but his actions did nothing; he could do nothing. Daitan closed his eyes in dred of what to come. He was terrified, how could he not be? Daitan- no that wasn’t his name, not anymore. Another word - a name, he realized - came to him in another thought. Aiden. That’s right; that’s his name. 

But was it? When there was another name that he went by everyday? What was it? Daitan couldn’t remember. The sound of laughter filled his ears from the slave traders crowded around him.

“ _No, no no no. Let go. Get away from me…_ ” he cried, tears falling down his cheeks at the words. Everything he knew was changing. When would this nightmare end? Daitan couldn’t help but shout out when he had felt a strong kick to his stomach, knocking the air from his diaphragm. 

“What a useless boy, chicos**.” He hear one voice say; there was a strong accent, slurring his words. The sound fabric shuffling could be heard from his left before he heard another voice start, “Well…” 

_Liliana..._

There was a tense pause, “I’m sure we could find good use for him.” Laughter sounded from all of the men, which had alerted him to the presence of even more men than he had originally thought. 

Daitan sobbed quietly to himself. He couldn’t face this, not again. It was all too much. Why did these memories continue to haunt him?

Liliana! That was his name. Everything came back to him. The slave trade, Salfara, -the Prince. 

Aiden opened his eyes, sleep still heavy on his conscious. From the moment in which Aiden first opened his eyes, he knew that something had been off; he just didn’t know what. Maybe it was the cloudiness in his mind, or perhaps the pain in his head, but the most likely indicator was the soft expanse under his body. It was in that moment that he became more alert. Something was wrong. He took his hand and felt long the silky fabric, examining it for imperfections. It was of high-quality and most likely only for the most highborn, completely different than that of the beds of servants quarters in which he had grown accustomed to. It was tempting to just lay there and enjoy the soft linens, but a small voice in the back of his mind reminded him that something was amiss. 

Aiden tried thinking back to the evening prior in an attempt to assure his gut feeling. After thinking for a few moments and remembering almost nothing following him getting into bed to sleep the previous night, Aiden finally opened his eyes and took in the room around him in a last ditch attempt to remember what was wrong. His blood ran cold. He was in Prince Rey’s personal quarters, in his bed from the looks of it no less. 

In that moment, it all came back to him. The task. Getting lost. Walking in on the prince bathing. Running away for the second time. Dropping the Prince’s linens on the floor. And then, the Prince himself coming to retrieve him in person. Oh no. Suddenly, the haunting memories of his past didn’t seem as crucial. 

But if Aidan was going to be thrown out, why was he still here? Why was he in the Prince’s personal quarters? 

He quickly pushed the soft blankets and covers from his prone body, rushing to get off the silky expanse. It made him feel uncomfortable lying on sheets made for royalty when he was just a maid. As if remembering that fact, he looked down at his now exposed body. His blood felt like it had run cold when he saw that his clothes had been changed, most likely by someone who worked the night shift judging by the fact that the day had just begun and the day shift had no time to have changed him. In fact, if the sun outside the far away window was any indication, the day staff were most likely eating breakfast right now. 

Aidan found himself currently dressed in a clean and well made nightgown, long with pants. It was pink in color and had small bows sewn to the front. The gown extended down to a little past his knees, with lace along the edge. He couldn’t help but admire the craftsmanship that went into making it. He felt down the gown, gently passing his hands over the smooth silk and perfectly placed ribbons and lace. It felt like a gown for true royalty.

As if reminded of the fact that he was not supposed to be wearing such a gown, he retracted his feeling hands quickly, as if he had been burned. Perhaps he could leave, retrieve some of his clothes, and return it? It was obvious at this point that he was not being fired. If he was, he would have been thrown outside to sleep in the cold rather than bring him to-

Or would he have been? Perhaps that Prince had been too kind to throw him out during the night. But then why would he have come in person for that, actually dragging him with his arm in hand to the hallway and making a scene instead of just sending some attending knight? The memory made him shiver. The looks, the judgement, the disappointment from his cold co-workers, and the burning eyes of Prince Ray. Suddenly, he felt the strong impulse to leave the royal quarters. 

Aidan quietly made his way to the double doors leading outside of the room. His knees shook with fright as his feet made contact with the cool marble. The feeling was slightly disturbing as he was not used to the cold but rather the warmth of the floorboards of the servants’ quarters that he was used to. He cracked the door open gently, glancing around for any signs of life. He waited a moment, watching the never-changing hallway. 

No one. Now would be his chance to leave. He bit his bottom lip in nervous concentration. Should he risk it? The facts had still not changed. If he wanted to truly leave to castle with his small suitcase of things, he would need to get them now before they decide to actually to have him thrown out. They most likely would not bother with locating and giving him his things before they do.

With his resolve settled somewhat, he pushed to door open far enough to slip through and gently closed it behind himself. He felt like a child; one that was about to be scolded for having been in the Prince’s room - His bed. And then, for running away like a thief. The thought made him feel sick. His stomach churned unhappily, as if it was protesting it’s normal status quo in favor making him fear vomiting in the hallway right there. 

Now was not the time to be worried about getting sick. That mess would be too big of a mess to clean up now. He needed to go.

He passed through the unfamiliar, and then familiar, hallways quickly, as if death was on his tail. Aiden accidentally bumped into one of the passing maids, but he didn’t spare her more that a quiet, tense apology before swiftly continuing down the hall. Normally he would watch the walls and floors as he walked but his worry had consumed him, causing him to not truly see them. 

It felt like an eternity before he found himself back at the servants quarters. He had been glad that he didn’t pass anyone that he knew very well, like Lily or Lady Felicita, because they may have posed more questions than he would have been comfortable answering at that time. No one had been outside the door when he had gotten there but that may not stay that way for long. 

He quickly passed through the slowly populating halls. Aiden could already feel the looks of disdain and confusion being given to him by his those that he passed. The feel spurred him on to move even quicker, pushing him almost an all-out run. Even with two years of experience working at the keep, he still had yet to memorize these halls. Until recently, he’d never been in them so he’d never had the chance to get to know them. When you worked as a maid, you often didn’t get the chance to leave your normal work space, but of course, he had to be given an exception. All because he couldn’t do his job properly. 

Time seemed to move slowly as he turned corners and practically flew down stairwells. Aiden felt as if he couldn’t get to his bed quick enough. In his haste, he failed to notice the crowd of servants moving down the hallway. They collided, sending multiple people falling to the floor. Pain flooded his senses as he attempted to understand what just transpired. 

When he final could think straight and realize what happened, he immediately repositioned to sitting on his knees with apologizes, but that didn’t last long, for the moment that his eyes rested on his clothed knees, he remembered what he was wearing. His eyes widened with horror as he scrambled to his feet, his legs feeling shaky and like jelly. He shivered briefly in fear before rushing inside like there was murderer behind him, rudely leaving the fallen servants on the floor. But that didn’t matter right now. He had gotten the clothes dirty. Oh, the trouble he must surely be in now. 

Tears began collecting in his eyes at the thought. No, there must be something that he can do. Someway that he can prevent losing his job. Clean them. Yes, he can clean them. But do they need special cleaning soaps? He wasn’t sure; he didn’t normally handle royalty clothes, but rather generic linens and kitchenware. Panic began the build even further in his chest. Why couldn’t he have a normal life? First things first. He needed to get changed. He quietly moved over to his bed. Upon initial inspection, he notice with alert that his truck with clothes was missing. 

Being at a loss at first, Aiden sank to his knees to dig at the floorboard underneath which that hid his journal. Upon realizing that it was still there, he breathed a small sigh of relief for the first time in the past two days. After verifying that his journal was safe, he replaced it in its safe place under the floor and recovered it. While doing so, Aiden noticed a second trunk underneath his bed. He had forgotten that he had it because he didn’t need that many clothes, but now he was glad to have them. Maybe he can still do this. He gently pulled it out from under the bed and underlatched the locks. 

He pulled out the first dress on top along with a corset since he didn’t have his other one. He closed the truck and shoved it back underneath his bed before making his way to the closet that he always changed in. Aiden quietly closed the door and got to work. He started with the gown. Upon closer inspection, he couldn’t figure out how to take it off. There was no strings or riddons to untie and was fairly uniform. Perhaps it was his sense of panic that prevented him from thinking straight.

Perhaps this dress was not made to be untied in any way? He looked back upon it again, looking for anything that he may have missed. All of the ribbons were sewn in place, unable to be undone, and he could find no drawstrings of any sort. Nothing. 

It took him way longer than he would have liked to actually take it off. As it turns out, this gown was intended to be taken off, as is with untying a single thing, by pulling it up above his head! What a unique design! After finally freeing himself of it, he folded it neatly and set it on top on one of the cleaner shelves before working on the pants. At least those were pretty straightforward, with a drawstring in the front.

Next was his new dress. Aiden examined it closely. It was an opaque, almost white-like yellow color, with a single ribbon sewn into the dress around the waist area. There was long sleeves, with a single ribble sewn around the upper arm area. He took notice of the string in the back for tying the waistline tighter. After noting all of the possibly important aspects of the dress, Aiden held it down by his feet before stepping into it. He pulled the dress up so that the ribbon waistline laid at about his hips. 

He reached down for the old corset in his trunk and raised it over his head. After positioning it so that it was in line with his waist, he took ahold of the drawstrings, grit his teeth, and pulled. It was painful, but not any pain he hadn’t endured before. In fact, when he had first decided to take on this position, he had learned about how put on a corset from a nice lady. Her name was Corona, and she put him through hours of practice for putting on a corset. Perhaps she had taken pity on him, standing outside her clothing store in the rain with nothing but the clothes on his back. After determining that the corset was tight enough to pass for a lady, Aiden tied it closed. 

One after the other, he pushed his hands into the sleeves and pull them up his arms. To his dismay, the sleeves did not, infact, cover his shoulders. He tugged on one of them a little bit to try and make it cover a little more, but they didn’t budge so his arms must be too wide. Admitting defeat, Aiden decided to move on after tying the drawstring closed. Most of his makeup was still intact from yesterday; he could feel it, so he touched it up just a little bit with a small amount of powder before putting the makeup kit back in his trunk. Once everything was securely back inside the trunk, Aiden grabbed ahold of it in one hand and the royal gown and pants in another, before leaving the closet. 

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves before Aiden stood and left the room, his truck and belongings in hand. Swallowing nervously, Aiden turned his head to look both ways before returning to the linen room for the first time since the day before. Once coming upon the door to the room, he peeked his head around the corner. Unlike before, there were a couple maids working on different tasks inside. That fact in itself was not terribly surprising. In fact, it would be more surprising if there weren’t anyone inside the room. That didn’t make this any easier though.

Aiden stood there in the hallway, thinking. Should he go in now? Won’t that draw their attention? It shouldn’t due to the fact that a lot of staff goes in and out a lot but- 

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a female voice,” Liliana. What are you doing?” Aiden had never turned around so fast in his life, and he actually began felt dizzy with how quickly he moved. Lady Felicita stood before him in all her glory. Her dress was just as impeccable as the day before, or any other day of the year for that matter. There was not a wrinkle in sight, her classic black gown flowing gracefully with every step she took towards him. Her lips were pursed in a frown, her face not showing her age very well. The familiar sight was comforting to him.

At least, it was until he remembered that he was hovering outside the linen room hold clothes that were too fancy and expensive to be his. His blood began to rush again; he could hear it in his ears. How was he going to explain this? Aiden turned his gaze to his feet. He could feel his hands begin to shake. He knew that he had to say something, but what? He opened his mouth to say something but no words would come out. 

After a couple moments of internal struggle, he managed a quiet stutter, “I-I” in Spanish. It was as if he had forgotten all of his words, in any language. 

“Were you not _elegido_? You must go before they realize that you are gone.” _elegido_? He didn’t know this word but he had the sense that now was not the time to ask about words, however. She spoke in a somewhat hurried tone, stressing urgency. Aiden could not blame her though, for he has made a great error, one that may have cost him his life. 

“Yes, Ma’am.” He replies, hunching in on himself. She continued to frighten him to this day at times. Over the course of his time in servitude at the castle, Aiden had come miles in terms of trust and confidence but her presence had always made him uneasy. 

“Well then, run along now. I should not keep you waiting.” Lady Felicita said, curtsying to him. How strange that action was, but he had no time to ponder it, for the last time that he decided to wait resulted in… That situation.

“Good day, Ma’am,” Aiden bowed to Lady Felicita before continuing down the hall.

Aiden maintained a brisk pace, his desperation causing him to lose whatever manners that he had. He could not afford to be caught again; he could only hope that the front guards were not appraised of his transgressions. After almost crashing into another group of servants for the second time in the time span of one day, Aiden opted to holding his truck close in front of himself to his chest rather than at his side.

As he moved through the halls, he began to recognize the walls less and less. He was beginning to doubt his knowledge of the castle, if he truly knew it as well as he had thought.

Just when he began to lose hope, he saw the front entryway. The entrance was spacious, open and beautiful. The room featured a large double staircase that wrapped around the room, stopping at two archways on opposite sides of the room. No doubt, this was it. Escape. Freedom. The large mahoney door at the base of the stairs most likely led outside.

He was on the upper floor so he would have to descend the stairs to access the door. However, Aiden couldn't help but worry about what he would do now. It was not easy to find work that accepted workers whom did not speak Spanish well. It was hard enough finding this job in the first place. It was only by a stroke of luck that he had found this one, and even then, he had to beg and plead. As irrational as his current fears of leaving were considering that his life was on the line, he couldn't help but hesitate now that he has eyes on the exit.

Aiden felt tears begin to collect in his eyes at the thought of having to go without food again, or even a place to stay. He was just getting his life on track again and then he had to go screw it up again. Would going even be worth it when all that he would experience would be hunger and hurt? Was it worth living at that point? Perhaps he really should have died. The emotions overwhelmed him, causing him to feel unsteady. On unsteady legs, he made him way to the top step and sat down to give him a moment to calm his growing nerves. 

At the thought of his curse, Aiden begin to unwrap the bandages that he used to cover the proof of his curse. He only really exposed do the mark when washing, but the dark thoughts of his impending doom caused him to soften any qualms that he had about it. The black form of a rose shown back at him, a blemish on him skin that was somehow sickeningly beautiful. Despite everything that the Mark has brought him, he could help but still admire its beauty from time to time.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps and loud approaching. Panic began to form in his chest. He can't afford to get caught this time; there is no telling what would happen if they did. Aiden quickly got to his feet, but it was too late. At the loud sound of footsteps, he turned his head. There was Prince Rey, his breathing heavy and labored as if he had been running. Which was probably accurate; he must have been the one running, he realized. 

Despite that fact that the Prince had a thin layer of sweat, he did not look worse for the wear. His clothes were just as fancy and regal as the last time that Aiden has seen him. His black hair was slicked back, impeccable and without a hair out of place. Aiden was unable to move under that blue gaze. It was not until he noticed that Prince approaching him that he turned and rushed down the staircase. 

But it was useless. He could hear the Prince not far behind him, fast approaching. He could get feel his heart beating hard inside his chest with each step. Aiden was get away from the door when he remembered that he had forgotten the bandage for his wrist. Dread filled him and his blood ran cold. Aiden stopped in his tracks, looking back at the stairs the confirm his fears

There it was. The innocent white bandage sat on the floor, right next to where he had bed sitting just moments ago.

His thoughts were interrupted by Prince Rey’s body slamming into his and causing them both to fall to the floor. Not a second late he could feel his skull make contact with the hard marble floors. He winced at the recount pain in his head. 

It was then that he realized that the Prince was on top of him, pinning him to the ground. Aiden began squirming underneath him in an attempt to get free. He shove do that the Prince to try to move him away but he was like an immovable force. He felt the Prince grab his wrists and forced them to the ground beside his head. Aiden could feel tears begin to form in his eyes once again, in both frustration and fear. 

“Stop _avergonzarse_.” The prince commanded, his face showing little emotion. Aiden sniffled as the tears began to fall; he shifted uncomfortably underneath that harsh gaze.

“Are you going to behave?” He asked, the barest hint of a smile at the corner of his perfect pink lips. At the abnormal show off kindness, Aiden began to relax slightly in his hold. The tears stopped and a small blush settled over his features, putting some color back into his previously pale face.

“Y-Y…” He started but his nerves took hold again. He could feel panic beginning to rise up again. Why must his anxiety choose this moment to take his speech away from him? He felt the tears starting anew at his inability to speak. To say anything. He tried so hard to force something out but the most that he could manage was more incomplete stuttering.

“Are you, aren't you? I can tell. You're a good girl.” The prince said, a true smile on his face now as he moved his right hand from holding his wrist to brushing against Aiden's cheek. Aiden nodded quickly, tears blurring his vision. But of course, nothing could stay nice for him. The last word of the Prince's kind words reminded him of another pressing fact. That Prince was still sitting on top of him, with a growing problem down south. If he did nothing, he was bound to notice. Aiden squirmed again, this time with the purpose of reminding Prince Rey of where they were currently sitting. 

“Oh, my apologies, my _amor_. Let's return to my chambers, shall we?” He asked, standing up and offering his hand to Aiden. 

Aiden take the offered hand tennantively before grabbing his trunk and following behind the Prince, unsure of what was to come of him now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chicos** = boys, guys.  
> Y’all probably know this word already but never beats to be safe, right?
> 
> Please leave a comment with your thoughts, or just a kudo if you’re like me and feel too lazy to write one. 
> 
> I’m good with either one.
> 
> Y, por algún milagro, si tengo algún personas que pueden hablar español, sería feliz a conversar contigo. (Necesito la prática)
> 
> Signing out - EnjeruTantei

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed this on some level. Please comment thoughts below.


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